Cancer is a leading cause of death in older dogs. Balancing treatment ambition with welfare preservation and making compassionate end-of-life decisions are central to good cancer care.
Canine cancer welfare centers on the balance between extending life and preserving quality of life. Unlike human oncology, where aggressive treatment is often chosen regardless of side effect burden, veterinary oncology has long recognized quality of life as a primary endpoint. Dogs cannot consent to treatment; owners and veterinarians must assess welfare on their behalf. Pain management is often inadequately addressed — bone cancer causes severe pain that requires multimodal analgesia including opioids, NSAIDs, and adjunctive drugs. Owners should be supported in making honest welfare assessments rather than defaulting to maximum intervention. Quality of life scales validated for dogs — assessing pain, appetite, hygiene, happiness, mobility, and good days vs. bad days — help guide decision-making. Euthanasia, when pursued before severe deterioration, is one of the kindest welfare interventions available to companion animal owners.